Media Infrastructure

Building distribution networks

Internews uses a variety of strategies to distribute radio and television programming around a country, ranging from simply having CDs delivered by car to coordinating satellite distribution. 

The Tanin Network in Afghanistan distributes over 250 radio programs by CD each month. Photo: Internews Europe

In Afghanistan, as part of its efforts to provide Afghans with quality news and information programming, Internews created Tanin, a distribution network that delivers radio programming to radio and TV stations across Afghanistan. Tanin, which means "Echo" in both Dari and Pashto, uses a low-tech distribution method:  programs produced by Internews plus twelve other organizations are burned onto CDs at Internews' Kabul office. Internews then delivers the CDs by car to radio and TV stations across Afghanistan, including Internews' the 32 radio stations Internews has established. On average Tanin distributes between 250 and 300 radio programs each month.
 
In a somewhat higher-tech approach, in Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan, Internews distributes news and information to TV and radio newsrooms online using software developed by Internews Russia. This software, called News Exchange, allows member stations to exchange information in text format. Internews Kazakhstan uses News Factory software to give small regional broadcasters the opportunity to exchange information and improve the quality of their programming. Internews Ukraine has adapted News Factory software to establish the Virtual News Agency, which provides daily independent news online to TV and radio stations across Ukraine.

Internews also distributes both radio and TV programming via satellie in numerous contexts and programs. Examples include the Open Skies program, which distributed international documentaries and educational programming throughout the former Soviet Union for six years; daily distribution of six hours of radio programming (Salam Watandar) to a network of 32 independent radio stations in Afghanistan; and Aceh, Indonesia, where Internews distributed a daily radio program on relief and reconstruction news after the 2004 tsunami via a satellite distribution system to 31 Aceh radio stations and 200 internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.